AT&T Data Breach and $370K Bitcoin Ransom Unveiled #1753

Geek News Central Podcast

AT&T announced a data breach impacting nearly all of its wireless customers, involving call and text interaction records from May 2022 to January 2023. The breach, attributed to hacker John Binns and the ShinyHunters group, led to AT&T paying a $370,000 Bitcoin ransom. The stolen data originated from the Snowflake data storage platform and included metadata but no sensitive personal information. AT&T is notifying affected customers and has noted an individual’s apprehension.

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Show Links and a Full Summary of Podcast:

In this episode of Geek News Central, host Todd Cochrane discusses a significant data breach at AT&T that affected nearly all wireless customers. This breach involved call and text interaction records from May 2022 to January 2023 and was attributed to hacker John Binns and the ShinyHunters group. Todd explains that AT&T ended up paying a $370,000 Bitcoin ransom, and the stolen data included metadata but purportedly no sensitive personal information. He also mentions AT&T’s response, including notifying affected customers and apprehension about an individual connected to the breach.

Todd transitions to sponsor messages, highlighting GoDaddy’s ongoing support and providing details on their current promotions. He then apologizes for the show’s absence the previous Thursday due to travel delays and promises no further interruptions in the upcoming episodes.

The conversation shifts back to the broader implications of the AT&T breach, particularly the hacker’s negotiation from a $1 million ransom to $370,000 and the ongoing risks of data security in large corporations. Todd also touches on other cybersecurity incidents involving companies like Rite Aid and Gemini’s controversial AI platform, discussing consumer privacy and data protection implications.

Lastly, Todd delves into various other tech news topics, including new developments in AI, net neutrality challenges, and updates on Google’s AI capabilities and policies. He concludes with a brief mention of market trends, including growth in smartphone sales and an analysis of Apple’s stock performance.

The episode ends with Todd expressing appreciation for the listeners and their continued support, encouraging them to become insiders through donations or to engage with the podcast through various modern apps and social media platforms.

• 22:30–AI is a ‘today problem’
• 24:35–AT&T and Verizon
• 25:54–This new ransomware
• The Trump shooter had a Discord account
• 27:03–iPhone 16 predictions
• 27:54–Southwest partners with Archer
• 28:54–Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL
• 29:08–A 3D printer in space
• 30:20–Weak demand for Apple Vision Pro
• 30:56–The DOJ Antitrust Division
• 31:56–Google reveals increase in bug bounty awards
• 4:38–AT&T breach
• 06:41–Rite Aid data breach
• 32:43–Apple hits record high again
• 33:14–The smartphone market has grown by 6%
• 08:08–Gemini AI
• 34:02–Shooting conspiracies trend on X
• 35:21–Chromium browsers
• 36:23–RIAA sues Verizon
• 37:53–SpaceX faces turbulence
• 38:47Jupiter smells of rotten eggs
• 39:49–Meta and Trump’s pages
• 40:25–A new cyber defense center
• 41:01–DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
• 41:57–OpenAI
• 11:24–The Robotaxi event has been delayed
• 11:57–A dirty diaper resold on Amazon
• 15:57–Sling TV
• 16:51–YouTube Music
• 17:53–Net neutrality is in danger again

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